Virtual Administrative Assistant: Top 9 In-demand Skills for your Resume

If you have a high aptitude for digital tasks, enjoy working as an administrative support professional, and want the flexibility of working from home, then you may want to consider a virtual administrative assistant role.

As the name implies, virtual administrative assistants provide remote support to their clients, typically completing tasks online or over the phone. Just like in-person assistants, virtual admins can coordinate appointments, plan events, conduct research, manage emails for their clients, and oversee social media tasks.

By including these top skills on your resume and discussing these characteristics during interviews, you can show employers that you have the versatility and knowledge required to manage their day-to-day tasks in a virtual work environment.

9 key skills you need as a virtual administrative assistant.

Here are the top 9 skills that are in-demand for virtual administrative assistants.

Travel planning.

If you have clients who travel frequently for work or personal reasons, you must be familiar with booking travel arrangements. Along with simply coordinating hotel, flight, and rental car bookings, you’ll be responsible for handling the finer details of client itineraries. You may need to research restaurants, make reservations, and find fun excursions to enhance the travel experience. You need to be able to use travel planning software and work with third-party companies to get the best deals and identify high-quality experiences.

Appointment scheduling.

Managing client schedules is one of the core tasks of any virtual administrative assistant. You’ll need to have an in-depth understanding of your employer’s schedule so you can book appointments, meetings, and activities accordingly. Along with scheduling initial appointments online or over the phone, you’ll be responsible for confirming appointments, sending reminders, and making any last-minute adjustments.

Preparing presentations.

Your clients may ask you to prepare presentations on their behalf. These presentations can range from simple projects, such as making PowerPoints, to building in-depth presentations with notes, research, and custom graphs. General graphic design, research, and planning skills can help you build effective client presentations. You’ll need to know how to create a logical outline, find compelling examples, and provide your client with the notes and context they need to deliver the final product.

Organization.

Being a successful virtual administrative assistant hinges on your organizational skills. Because you’ll be handling several categories of administrative tasks, you need to know how to keep track of each individual responsibility. Understanding how to use project management software and developing your own systems for tracking tasks can make a massive difference in your ability to stay organized without letting any details slip through the cracks.

Email management.

Many people use email as their main communication platform in the workplace. Virtual admins are often responsible for managing inboxes, including sending outgoing emails and replying to incoming messages. You’ll need to know how to prioritize different emails, determining which items can wait and which require immediate attention. You may also need to handle email marketing tasks like managing email lists, sending newsletters, and metrics like open rates.

Time management.

Virtual admins are in charge of their clients’ schedules; they need to have strong time management skills. You’ll need to know how to estimate the length of various tasks, determine their priority level, and switch gears when critical last-minute tasks pop up.

Technical aptitude.

Because they operate digitally, virtual admins may use specialty tools to help them conduct tasks remotely. For example, they might use call-routing software to accept phone calls for their clients without sitting in an office. As a result, virtual admis require adept technical skills. You should be able to operate standard scheduling, project management, and word-processing tools. In addition, you should be a quick learner who can troubleshoot technical issues quickly and learn how to use new applications and programs based on client needs.

Bookkeeping.

Even though VAs aren’t responsible for complex accounting tasks, they may still do some basic bookkeeping. These tasks include balancing a budget, sending invoices, tracking payments, and reviewing charges. By helping your clients keep track of expenses and income streams, you can ensure that they stay on budget and have the cash flow they need.

Social media management.

A strong social media presence has become more critical as people conduct business online. While VAs aren’t full-on social media managers, they may help write captions, schedule posts, and create digital content for their clients. They should also know how to track basic social media analytics to promote engagement.

Launching your career as a virtual assistant.

Because virtual administrative assistants can handle many different tasks, they must come into the role with various skills. If you already have administrative or front desk experience, you can quickly transfer those skills to a virtual work environment. By including the right skills on your resume, you can stand out to employers and start a successful career as a virtual administrative assistant.